Oh Changi! I knew you'd come through!

- August 16, 2013

So everytime I suggested going to Changi I was told its no longer what it used to be. This turned out to be not true AT ALL. Changi is how I remembered Singapore as it used to be. It was awesome.

Pipeline to airport

Beautiful warm blue seas

Sunsets

Fishermen

In my next life I want to be a fisherman. Specifically a fisherman in South East Asia. None of this Perfect Storm bullshit. No. I go out to sea, it is WARM. I come back, with some fish. I swim for the rest of the day or rest under the shade. Something like that. I am not going on a trawler and spending months and sea and all that nonsense. No I just go out and come in. Not a hero fisherman. Just your regular philosophical variety. The kid that mends nets and sleep under coconut trees. The kind that has a cat and a few friends to smoke and drink a couple of beers with. That has sinews and tattoos and who knows that this is all there is to life.

That is the kind of fisherman I want to be.

Estuarine waters

Crab eating monkeys

Now THAT is what I call a boat

I love these beaten up old salty boats. They have character and smell of diesel and salt. They have fishscales all over them. They make odd sounds. They are clean and have rope covered in moss and mussels. They have modest ambitions. They are easy to repair. They are practical and reliable. That is what I call a boat. To sit and rock under and into the still equatorial night.

The view of Changi Sailing Club

Ice jerry, memories of Ghin Moh hawker centre

When I was in JC the nearest hawker centre was Ghin Moh. After track and field practice we'd all head over there. We all smelt. There as no shower to speak of in those days. We reeked of sweat and hormones, a tangle of teens on the move. Then we'd descend upon Ghim Moh's ice jelly stall and order this... shaved ice, with agar-agar squeezed with lime and drenched in syrup. There was occasionally fruit cocktail but jus the jelly and ice were enough. And we'd devour the entire thing in a single inhalation. It was the ultimate reward after those hours out on the track. Wow...happiness in a melamine bowl.

Kids tuck into prata

So I thought I need to bring the kids here...as I went with my friend yesterday. So I suggested we should go to Changi, to which my mother said, IMMEDIATELY, I don't think the kids are interested. I glared at her and said, do you mind? To which she immediately said, ok, let's go. So after homework, etc...here we finally are...

Tulang Merah

Tulang merah is goat's leg marrow. You lick the bone and then suck on it till the marrow comes out. I know it sounds erotic, but honestly there is nothing LESS erotic than eating tulang merah. At the end of the meal your nails are filled with all the sauce and if your lucky you still have clean clothes.

You know, I just had to have it.

Skating towards East Coast Parkway

When I was waiting for my A level results I used to cycle to East Coast Parkway and go running there. I cannot believe my children are now here today, cycling and skating here. How amazing and wonderful is life?